Dry cleaning apparatus



Dec. 25, 1934.

H. LJNDENBERGER DRY CLEANING APPARATUS Filed July 11, 1932 Patented Dec. 25, 1934 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,985,376 DRY CLEANING APPARATUS Hem-y Llndenbergcr, Chicago, Ill.

Application July 11, 1932, Serial No. 621,936 Claims. (c1. 68-38) This invention relates to dry cleaning apparatus, an object of the-invention being to provide a relatively small compact apparatus which may be manufactured and sold as a unit, and which can be easily installed in a relatively small room for use, whereby the said apparatus will be withinthe means of smaller establishments, so that they may do their own dry cleaning in a safe manner, and at the same time carry out the operation in a manner which will give vastly im-' proved results over the ordinary apparatus in common use.

This improved apparatus is particularly designed to use a cleaning fluid which is non-combustible and non-explosive and which is more expensive than gasoline, so that 'it is of vital importance to prevent loss of the fluid, and my apparatus is particularly designed with this end in view, by maintaining the cleaning fluid in a closed circuit so that losses are reduced to a minimum.

A further object of this invention is to provide a dry cleaning apparatus of the character described, having means for cooling the fluid before itis supplied to the washer, whereby the said fluid will be maintained at a certain predetermined temperature, at which temperature to the washer, the cooling of said fluid insuring against evaporation thereof, thus preventing the creation'pf fumes, with the resultant reduction in danger incident to the employment of apparatus of this character heretofore known:

A still further object of this invention is to provide a simple, novel and efficient apparatus for cleaning clothes or the like in a solvent, then extracting the solvent from the clothes by the use of extractors, and finally distilling or reclaiming the solvent and fumes for reuse, the apparatus embodying certain novel arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter set forth.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a simple, novel and efficient apparatus for cleaning clothes or the likein a solvent, laid solvent being maintained in a closed circuit and being cooled before being admitted to the washer.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a dry cleaning apparatus of thechara cter 5 described, having a washer, a cooler, at filter, and a still, means connecting said cooler with said washer whereby the fluid admitted to said washer must pass through said cooler, and meansconnecting said washer with said filter and still so that the fluid passing therefrom may be passed through the ,filter or still for reclaiming the same for reuse.

A still further object of this invention resides in the novel and improved process of dry cleaning, which consists in subjecting the material to be dry cleaned to the action of a volatile low boiling solvent liquid, which liquid had been previously cooled to a temperature at which there will. be substantially no evaporation.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a dry cleaning apparatus of the character described, using a solvent which is maintained in a closed circuit, said circuit including a cooler for pre-cooling the solvent before it is admitted to the washer, saidcooler being connected with the extractor so as to receive therefrom the fumes created therein for condensing the same, whereby losses will be reduced to a minimum.

'With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of I construction, arrangements and combination of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the 0 spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of my invention, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment thereof from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, my invention, its mode of construction, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.

Referring to the drawing in which: similar characters of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawing:--

Figure 1 is a view in elevation, more or less 55 diagrammatic, of a complete cleaning apparatus embodying my invention; 7 Figure 2 is a side elevation of my improved lever control for the manifold shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the same. As shown in the drawing my novel apparatus preferably comprises a washer 1, upon each side of which is provided an, extractor 2, said washer and extractors being provided in a single casing, which may be of standard and well known construction, and as the same forms no' part of the present invention it is not thought necessary to describe it in more detail. The cleaning fiuidto be used in my apparatus is of the non-explosive, non-combustible type, such for example as carbon tetrachloride, or the like. The apparatus is supplied with fluid from a barrel 3, which is connected to a manifold 4, said manifold having one outlet 5 thereof connected by the pipe 6 to the barrel 3. Another outlet '7 of said manifold is connected by the pipe 8 with the suction end 9 of a centrifugal pump 10, driven by a suitable motor 11. The discharge end 12 of the pump 10 is connected by the pipe 13 to a pipe 14, the latter pipe leading to the upper end of the filter 15. A valve 16 is provided in said pipe 14, said pipe 14 also having connected therein the T couplings 1'7 and 18. A pipe 19 connects the T coupling 18 with the still 20, said pipe 19 having a valve 21 provided therein adjacent its connection to the still. -A pipe 22 connects the T coupling 17 with a three-way valve 23, one branch of said valve being connected by pipe 24 with the filter 15, and the other branch of said valve being connected by a short pipe 25 with a second three-way valve 26, the latter having one branch thereof connected by pipe 27 to the cooling tank 28, and the other branch thereof connected by short pipe 29 to a third threeway valve 30. One branch of said valve30 is connected by a pipe 31 to a supply tank 32, and the other branch of said valve 30 is connected by a pipe 33 with the barrel 3. The cooling tank 28 is connected by .a pipe 34 with the washer 1 so that the fluid in the tank may flow by gravity into the washer. A valve 59 controls the flow through the pipe 34.

From the lower end of the washer is connected a pipe 35 having a valve 58 therein, said pipe leads to a trap 36, said trap being connected by a pipe 37 with one of the outlets 38 of the manifold 4. A pipe 39 connects the supply tank with another of the outlets 40 of the manifold 4. A pipe 41 leads from the lower portion of the still 20 to one of the outlets 42 of the manifold 4. The pipe 13 leading from the suction end of the pump 10 is provided with a T coupling 43, which is connected by short pipe 44 with one end of a threeway valve 45, one branch of said valve 45-being connected by pipe 46 with the remaining outlet 47 of the manifold 4, and the other branch of said valve 45 being connected by a pipe 48 with the upper end of the filter 15. Leading from the bottom wall of the filter is a pipe 45 which connects with the three-way valve 50 provided in the pipe 8 connecting the manifold 4 and the pump 10. Said pipe 49 is provided with the valve 51 adjacent its connection to the filter and also has a T coupling 52 provided therein, to which is connected a pipe 53 also leading from the filter, the

, pipe 53 being connected to the filter at a point above the bottom wall thereof as shown at 54, said pipe 53 having a valve 55 provided therein.

Before describing the operation of the apparatus as a whole, I shall describe the construction of my improved manifold control means. In the embodiment illustrated, the numeral designates the manifold, which is provided with six outlets as shown in Figure 1. Each of said outlets is controlled by a valve '6l'whereby the same may be opened or closed at will. Each of the valves 61 is provided with a short lever .62, to which is connected an operating hand lever 63, each of said hand levers being pivotally secured intermediate its end to the top member 64 of a frame 65 upon which the said levers are mounted. To the hand lever 63 are alternately arranged on opposite sides of the member 64 as shown in Figure 3, so as to permit the operation of any one lever without interfering with its next adjacent lever.

The operation of the apparatus as a whole is as follows:-Assuming that the entire system is empty of fluid and it is desired to start the operation of the device; The proper lever 63 is actuated to open the outlet 5 of the manifold 4 so as to permit the flow of fluid to the manifold from the barrel 3 by means of the pipe 6. The pump 10 is then started and. if it is desired to fill the supply and cooling tanks with fluid, the valves 16 and 21 are closed as well ,as the valve 45. Valve 23 is actuated so as to permit the flo'w of fluid from pipe 22 into pipe 25. Valve 26 is actuated so as to permit the flow of fluid from pipe 25 into pipe 2'7 through which said fluid will flow into the cooling tank 28. After the coolingtank 28 has been filled, the valve 26 is actuated so as to shut off the supply to pipe 27 and to open the same to pipe 29. The valve 30 is also adjusted so as to open it to the pipe 31 and close it to the-pipe 33. Through the pipe 31 the fluid will flow intothe supply tank 32 until the same has been filled to the desired level. After the supply and cooling tanks have been filled and it is also desired to fill V the filter tank 15, this may be done by actuating the valve 23 to close the same with respect to the pipe 22 and opening valve 16, so that the fluid will pass up through the pipe-'14 and into the filter tank 15. With the both tanks full the proper lever 63 may be actuated to shut off fur-- then ,closed and the cleaning operation started.

Upon the completion of the washer operation, the articles are removed from the washer and placed in the extractors 2, for removing all of the cleaning fluid from the articles by centrifugal action. As the specific construction of washer and extractor forms no part of the present invention, it

is no'ttliought necessary to describe the same in more detail.

As shown in Figure l, the interior of the extractors are connected with the inside of the washer by a pipe '75, and as more fully explained in my co-pending application, communication between the extractors and washer is normally vclosed bya damper when. the washer is in operation, but this damper is open to permit the fluid to flow from the extractor into the washer when the extractor is in operation, so that all ,of the fluid driven from the articles by the action of the extractor will flow back into the washer. Although thespeciflc construction of the extractor is not disclosed in this application, it is tobe understood that the same is so constructed as to direct all of the fumes formed therein into the pipes a circuitous path along a number of cooling coils to cause the said fumes or vapors to be condensed, the condensate thenbeing returned for use into the system. The specific condensing and cooling means are more fully described in my copending application bearing serial #621,938, and

filed July 11, 1932. It will thus be noted that the fluid is caused to pass from the extractors back into the washer and that the fumes or vapors formed in the extractors are directed into the cooler to be condensed therein, thereby recovering practically all of the cleaning fluid.

Assuming now that the washing and extracting operation has been completed, the pump 10 is started, the proper lever 63 is then actuated to open the inlet 38 in the manifold and the valve 58 is also opened so that the fluid in the washer will drain into the trap 36, the latter catching buttons and other articles, and then through the pipe 37 into the manifold 4, from where it will flow to the suction end of the pump 10, and will then be directed by the pump to the desired point in the system.

' Thus, if it is desired to pass the fluidthrough the filter, the valve 16 will be opened, and the valves 23, 26 and 30 will be closed. From the filter the fluid may be caused to pass through the pipe 24, either to the cooling tank 28, the supply tank 32, or back into the barrel 3. The above is accomplished by the proper manipulation of the three-way valves 23, 26 and 30.

From the above it will be apparent that the main circulating line for the fluid is from the cooler 28 to the washer, from the washer to the trap 36, from the trap to the manifold 4, from the manifold to the suction side of the pump 10, from the discharge end of the pump to the filter tank, and from the filter tank the fluid may be directed either to the cooler or to the supply tank. This makes for a closed system in which the losses of fluid are reduced to a minimum. Particular attention is directed to the fact that all of the fluid is pre-cooled before entering the washer, thereby preventing evaporation of the same. The line 39 leading'from the supply tank 32 may be utilized for directing fluid from the supply tank into the cooler or to the filter for cleaning the same in a manner to be hereinafter more fully described. At certain predetermined time intervals, such for example as at the end of a day's run or the like, the solvent may have reached sucha point where it is required to be distilled and reclaimed for reuse. This may be done by draining off the filtrate either at the bottom of the filter tank through pipe 49, where the filtrate is heaviest, or at the point 54 in the side of the filter tank, where the filtrate is not so heavy. when the heavier filtrate is being drawn off, the valve 55 is closed and the valve 51 opened. In order to prevent clogging of the manifold, the three-way valve 50 is actuated to by-pass the manifold so that the filtrate will flow through pipe 49 directly to the suction end of the pump 10.

This filtrate will then flow from the discharge end of the pump into the pipe 19, this being accomplished by closing valves 16 and 23 and opening valve 21. The opening of the valve 21 will permit the flow of the filtrate into the still 20. The specific construction of the still forms no part of the present invention andthe same may be of any standard and well knownconstruction. The distilled fluid is drawn oil at the bottom of the still through the pipe 41, leading into the manifold 4, through the inlet 42. manifold the fluid is directed by means of the pump 10 to the desired point in the system, that is, either to the cooling tank 28 or supply tank 32 by the proper positioning of the valves 23,

'26 and 30. The operation just described will be the same when the filtrate is drawn oil at the point 54 in the filter tank, only that in this case the valve 51 will be closed and the valve 55 is opened. The filtrate will thus flow into the pipe 49 from which it is caused by the proper positioning of the valve 50 to by-pass the manifold and to flow directly to the suction end of the pump and from the pump it will be directed into the still, where the same will be distilled and then caused to flow to the manifold and from the manifold to the desired point in the system.

The filtrate line may, therefore, be described as follows: From either the bottom or side of the fllter to the suction end of the pump (eliminating the manifold), from the discharge side of the pump to the still, and from the still to the manifold.

The pipe 48'46 may be utilized for taking overflow of cleaning fluid from the filter tank, in which case the valve will be positioned so as to open the connection between the pipes 48 and From the 46 for directing the overflow fluid to the inlet 4'7 of the manifold, and from the manifold the fluid may be directed in the manner hereinbefore described, either to the supply tank or to the cooling tank, as desired.

The valve 45 may also be positioned so as to close the connection between the pipes 48 and 46 and open the connection between the pipes'48 and 44, in which case clean fluid may be directed from the manifold through the pipes 44 and 48 to the upper portion of the filter for cleaning the same by this flow of clean fluid through the filter. Of course, it is to be understood that when this operation is being performed, it will be necessary to close the valves 16, 21, 23, 26 and 30. The fluid which has thus been used for cleaning the filter may then be removed from the filter through the valve 55 and pipe 49, from which pipe it may be directed to the suction side of the pump for delivering same to the desired point in the system.

By the proper positioning of the valves 23, 26 and 30, the entire system may be emptied of the cleaning fluid, all of the fluid being caused to flow into the barrel 3 through the pipe 33. The

' manner for accomplishing the emptying of the entire system may be as follows:

The cooling tank 28 may be emptied through the washer, pipe 37, through the manifold connecting said pipe and the pipe 6 leading into the barrel; the supply tank 32 may be emptied into the barrel by means of the pipe 39 leading *to the manifold, the manifold and the pipe 6 leading to the barrel; this supply tank may also be emptied by reversing the flow in the pipe 31 and by actuating the valve 30 so as to establish communication between the pipe 31 and pipe 33 leading to the barrel; the still 20 may be emptied through the pipe 41 leading to the manifold, the manifold, and the pipe 6 leading to the barrel: the filter 15 may be emptied by opening either the valve 51 or 55 and actuatingthe valve to establish communication between the pipe 49 and manifold, the manifold and the pipe 6 leading to the barrel. From the above it will be apparent that the entire solvent supply may thus be emptied from the system back into the barrel whenever desired.

It will, therefore, be noted that my improved apparatus is in a very true sense a closed systern, so that the cleaning fluid is for all practical purposes entirely recovered, cleansed and. ready In view ofthe character oflike will remain constant.

It is to be understood that the reason I have not gone into more detail as to the construction of the cooling tank, extractors and filter tank is because they form no part of the present invention and the same are fully covered in co-pending applications.

It is believed that my invention, its mode of construction andassembly and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated from the foregoing without further description, and should also be manifest that while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural details are, nevertheless, capable of wide nyariation within the purview of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters.

Patent of the United States is:

1.- The step'in the process of dry cleaning,

2. The process of dry cleaning and recovering the solvent for reuse, which consists in cooling a volatile low boiling solvent liquid to a temperatures at which there will be substantially no evaporation, agitating the batch to be cleaned in contact with said cooled liquid, extracting the liquid from the batch, condensing the vapors created during the extracting operation,- purifying the cleaning liquid and then returning itto be cooled before reuse. V

.3. In a dry cleaning apparatus, a washer, an extractor, a cooler, means for charging the washer with solvent from the cooler, means for discharging the solvent from the washer back to the cooler, and means for passing the fumes created in the extractor to the cooler for condensing the same.

4. In a dry cleaning apparatus, a washer, a cooler, an extractor, means for charging the washer with solvent from the cooler, means for discharging the solvent from the washer to the cooler, means for discharging the solvent driven off by the extractor to the washer, and means for passing the fumes created in the extractor to the cooler for condensing the same.

- 5. In a dry cleaning apparatus, a washer, a cooler, a supply tank, means for charging the washer with solvent from the cooler, means for discharging the solvent from the washer, a reclaiming system, means for discharging the solvent from the reclaiming system, either to the supply tank or cooler, and means for passing the fumes created during the washing operation to the cooler to be condensed.

" HENRY LINDENBERGER. 

